The key elements of street photography

One of the most crucial elements in street photography is observation. You need to be constantly alert to capture the perfect moment. Be prepared to capture the unexpected. Street arrangements are constant, and you need to be flexible to seize an opportunity at any time.

Another key element is patience. Often you'll have to wait a long time for a scene to fall into place. That's not the best of my qualities and I often struggle with it but the pay-off is often tremendous. It's essential to be patient and wait to capture the perfect moment. You may have the technical skills, but if you don't have patience, you will miss great shot opportunities.

Technical know-how is also essential. That does mean that you have to be a tech nerd, but you need to be proficient in handling your own camera, frame rate, aperture and shutter speed. It may take some practice to master these skills, but it's important if you want to capture the photos you want.

Composition is another key to success. When aiming at a subject, try to capture all the details of the environment. Be aware of the composition of the elements in the frame, so that not everything is simply centered. Keep an eye on lines, movement, and shapes to capture the image perfectly. If you're not already familiar with them, learn about the rule of thirds, the golden ratio, leading lines, diagonals, frame within a frame, figure to ground, fill the frame, dominant eye, patterns and repetition, symmetry and asymmetry. You can easily find a lot of information in books, Youtube, and blogs, even perhaps soon on this one ... who knows.

To be honest, you also need a bit of luck. To be in the right place at the right time. But it's certain that nothing will happen if you just lie on your sofa, so get out.

Also, be aware of the opportunities around you. Look for interesting subjects, movements, lights and shapes. Spot unique scenes and share your creative vision with the world. Be curious.

To be an accomplished street photographer, it's also important to know how to interact with the people around you. It often involves photographing strangers, which can be intimidating for some. It's essential to have a friendly attitude and to respect their privacy. Most people will not agree to be photographed if they are not comfortable. To obtain the subjects' consent, don't hesitate to have a conversation with them before the photo is taken. This can also help gain their confidence and achieve more natural expressions.
Quick advice: in the unlikely event that someone requests that you delete their photo, just comply with their request because you will undoubtedly take far more pictures than you will receive complaints about. Avoiding controversy is preferable because you have lots of other photos and this wasn't the picture of the century.

Another key element in street photography is the ability to find stories in your surroundings. Often, street photography is used to tell stories about urban life. By focusing on the details and moments going on around you, you can find interesting stories to tell. It could be a hard-working person in a busy market, a lively conversation between friends or simply a child playing in the street. The ability to capture these moments can be the difference between an ordinary photograph and one that tells a story.

Finally, an important skill for any street photographer is knowing how to edit images after they've been taken. You may have hundreds of photos, but not all of them are worth sharing. Take the time to sort and select the best photos. Editing can also help to further improve image quality, by adjusting colour, saturation and brightness. With the right editing, you can dramatically improve the visual impact of your photos. Editing is where to put your final artistic touch. Take the time to make it look like what you want it to look like. Not a single photo of the great masters or professionals is raw. They are all edited, some drastically, but with taste and a clear artistic direction.

Street photography is often a matter of patience, observation and responsiveness. However, by adding these extra elements of interpersonal skills, storytelling and editing, you can refine your craft and capture photos that tell powerful and moving stories.

The final secrets are practice and patience. With them, you can become an accomplished street photographer and capture the unique moments of urban life.